SNL Scorecard: Miley Cyrus' Show Was Not 'Pretty Cool'
The Bad
"Duh! Winning! Cold Open" (Hader, Killam, Armisen, Cyrus): SNL was in a tough situation with Charlie Sheen. Sheen obviously had to be addressed but, after a week of an intense media blitz and parodies of that media blitz, by the time SNL joined the fray, it's already dated. And there was something about Hader's impression that was just... off (which is a rare thing to say about Hader). It certainly was nowhere near as good as Jimmy Falllon's impression from mid-week. It just seemed like SNL thought they could get away with just saying "winning" and "tiger blood" and call it a day.
Score: 5.5
"Our Time With Taboo and apl.de.ap" (Thompson, Samberg, Cyrus, Pharoah, Elliott) Here's what this is: This is a bunch of late 20-something and 30-something SNL writers sitting in a room thinking, what would appeal to the 16-year-old viewer that's tuning in this week to watch Miley Cyrus? This had a lot of potential (the idea of the two unknown members of the Black Eyed Peas hosting a show is funny), but this thing hit the wall once Abby Elliott's Khloe Kardashian showed up on stage.
Score: 5.0
"CBS Gurney Month Promo" "We've got more programs that begin with a body bag than any other network!" Kind of a funny idea, I suppose? Just seems NBC is really in no position to be taking shots at another network -- being NBC and all.
Score: 5.0
"Cruise Ship Entertainer" (Cyrus, Wiig, Ensemble): Cyrus plays a cruise ship singer who would rather be anywhere but where she is, prompting her to sing, "You people are gross to me." This should have been better. And it was telling that the actual studio audience was not at all into this one. Perhaps Cyrus was just a little too into and believable in this one -- an example of how the studio audience was just not into her.
Score: 4.5
"New Products" (Cyrus, Wiig): Wiig and Cyrus play pitch people for a new facial cream-rockabilly CD combination. Interesting idea, poor execution.
Score: 4.5
"Miley Cyrus Monologue" (Cyrus, Moynihan, Wiig): Before we get to "The Miley Cyrus Show," the whole joke that Cyrus, as Bieber, would not say the show was "pretty cool" was pretty much ruined by the fact Cyrus blurted that quite expected line first thing in her monologue. Also, Cyrus really wants you to know that she's not Lindsay Lohan or Tiger Woods -- a song that was decently well done but, again, kind of smug.
Score: 4.0
The Ugly
"The Miley Cyrus Show" (Bayer, Cyrus, Sudeikis): Again: Enough, already, with real people meeting the parodies of themselves. We get it! Of course this was coming -- no surprise there. And this is the sketch that's going to (as I've seen already) be the one that makes all of the headlines because it involved a parody of Cyrus and Justin Bieber. But that's it! There's really no joke. The entire sketch is the real Cyrus, as Bieber, mugging for the camera. This is the type of sketch intended for irregular SNL viewers, who are supposed to see the concept and say, "Well, I'll be, that's hilarious, what will they think of next?"
Score: 3.0
(Note: "Baby Spanx" is a repeat from a prior episode and is not included in the scorecard.)
Average Score For This Show: 5.54
Weekly Host Scorecard:
· Russell Brand 6.35
· Jeff Bridges 6.21
· Amy Poehler 6.04
· Anne Hathaway 6.00
· Emma Stone 5.88
· Gwyneth Paltrow 5.88
· Jon Hamm 5.86
· Paul Rudd 5.83
· Robert De Niro 5.83
· Jim Carrey 5.80
· Jesse Eisenberg 5.79
· Bryan Cranston 5.79
· Dana Carvey 5.75
· Miley Cyrus 5.54
· Jane Lynch 5.31
· Scarlett Johansson 4.69
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Comments
Actually, I think you have become out of touch with this show and it's humor. I have been watching since the beginning and I found this show the best so far this season. And from the comments I am seeing online, other sites and people agree.
I disagree. Well, I agree on the overall position of the sketches, except for the MCS sketch, which I would put in the low end of the good pile, and I would put the SoM sketch in the middle of the bad and put the Blackeyed Peas sketch in the ugly. I think it was a pretty good episode. Certainly not the best of the season, but somewhere between Poehler and Rudd. It was bogged down by bad episodes in the beginning of the show, but, overall, I was happy with it.
The only thing that stands out, but not in a good way, is the monologue song, which she played not for laughs but in an attempt to correct the official record on her.
And, she does a great Bieber, but I think that's more a function of Bieber and not Miley.
Wow, is comedy subjective. I have to disagree too, though, since this was one of the few SNLs that made me laugh out loud.
The Disney Acting School was terrific, (it's funny because it's true!). Thompson was in his element.
I think you also underrated the Black Eyed Peas segment, a funny premise of the two "lesser-known" Peas vying for attention, with nice touches like their opening song of sporadic backup lyrics, just like they're used to.
Armisen's TCM sketch was no classic but he nailed it, playing it like the "ethnic" comedians spotlighted in the '60s and '70s with a now tired schtick of poverty and stereotypical relatives.
And Bill Hader might not do the best Charlie Sheen but he always gets the psychology of his characters, he's the best SNL talent in years.
And I love Moynihan, but Crispino is not his best. As for Miley, I'm no fan but the kid brought enthusiasm, and I appreciate her risk of insulting her Disney overlords and fellow brand Bieber. Funny, her singing voice is more like a Disney character than a person, she'll probably do well in animation as she gets older.
In all, a better show than you give credit for!
The best part of the show was seeing how much potential Taran has. It's a breath of fresh air. The rest of the show was awkward only made worse by the audience's lack of enthusiasm regarding Miley.
I only watch SNL sporadically these days (i.e., random Saturday nights when I am home early) but have to agree with you on this one - an hour and a half of not funny. I thought you were actually being a little generous with your ratings.
In full disclosure, I liked the Jeff Bridges episode, so clearly whatever drugs you are taking I am on the same dosage.
Lots of Coke Zero!
I found it ironic that this generally lousy episode came at the very end of a week that started with another highly watched show making the mistake of "going young."
One thing the writer here left out: Am I the only person who cringed during "The Miley Cyrus Show" because of its portrayal of Billy Ray as a pandering, obsequious doofus? I mean, come on, Miley ... THAT'S YOUR DAD! (And it even came after the skit about the Disney Channel acting school, which mocked that channel's insistence on portraying all parents as morons.)
Final note: Sorry, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that Miley Cyrus is not objectively attractive or particularly gifted. I'm afraid she is going to continue down a more radical path (and I don't mean artistically adventurous) in order to stay in the public eye.
I agree with you. While Cyrus can't act worth a lick, there were some very funny moments and sketches on the show. Cyrus playing Bieber not willing to say "Pretty cool" when she just said it 1/2 and hour ago is part of what made it funny. Plus she got his lame, I'm-trying-too-hard-to-be-cool moves down. Her verbalizing what must he in his head ("wink, cocky head nod.") was completely on point. Hader's Charlie Sheen was no better or worse than Jimmy Fallon's. The monologue did suck because Cyrus isn't very good (although her voice is, as always great). Weekend update was funny and Sudakis' Devil bit was great. The best part was that Kristin Wiig hardly appeared in the first 1/2 of the show. I think she needs to take a step back and create some new characters that are not just retreads of what she's already done. Or just bring back the Target lady. We haven't seen her for a long time and her strange accent and Miley Cyrus's southern/odd glottal-stop accent would have played off each other nicely.
I have a daughter her age but Id still like to make her squeel like a...nevermind.
Miley had a chip on her shoulder and zero comedic timing.
I thought this was one of the better episodes of the past few years. Seriously! Hader did a great Sheen and though beaten into the ground, they had to touch on that subject. I found that black Eyed Peas sketch very enjoyable. I want to be on the cover of Vaguely Asian magazine and I'm not even vaguely Asian. And despite your problem with the whole concept, how do they not do the Miley Cyrus Show sketch? Throw a bigger mullet on Sudekis makes it all worth it. As far as Cyrus, she's better than a lot of hosts they've had in recent times.
Are the people saying it was the best episode of the season just Hannah Montana fans or something? I thought this episode was pretty lousy, and Miley was laughingly bad at times, especially in the monologue. It was pretty clear the audience was only there more to see The Strokes and not the host.
The monologue was a complete turn-off. "Sorry I'm not perfect!"
You don't have to be perfect, but don't be stupid enough to smoke weed in a room full of people with camera phones, don't act like a complete idiot anytime someone puts a camera in your face (tongue-wagging), and don't publicize your puberty by wearing every skanky dress you can find.
I don't understand who wrote this.Last week he said Russell Brand was the best of the season so far (which is named worst by viewers who tuned in) and now he says this is episode was one of the worst this season (which is named best by viewers who tuned in).
I want to say this episode is one of the best this season.It made me LOL a lot!
I don't think this ep is well-represented as being the sum of the skits. I generally agree with how you ranked this out, so here are a few of my observations that would explain why this ep left me more entertained than the overall rating would show.
1. The Sheen piece was not bad from the perspective of someone who is mildly following the situation. The material probably didn't resonate if you are following everything through the week, but a majority of people just aren't completely up on it, and the bit resonated well-enough.
2. Cyrus was much better than expected. There is something to be said for someone overacheiving, even if you expected a complete, pandering groaner of an episode. We all know she isn't a strong talent on the big scene, that has sort of been the point all along with her. That's a hard line to go up against, and with that given, she showed a decent take of self-awareness. If she doesn't have the best comedic chops, she at least embraces the situation instead of smiling it off or freezing up and "being a good sport". The kid did well, and wasn't above screwing around with lame premises, like being J.Beebs. The 'middle finger' line, reacting to the swagger coach... she dished out a pretty good roast there.
3. Cyrus seemed to commit to the opportunity. How many hosts give a half-hearted effort or never really seem to get on track with the flow of the show and end up written out? She got into the mix and utilized pretty much all of the SNL players. It ended up being very well-balanced in terms of everyone having an opportunity to get out there, and they weren't leaning on any one sketch to win the show. Miley came across to me as a fluent team player, engaged with the whole process instead of giving off a "what do you want me to do?" vibe. The show had a no-crutch momentum where there was a high tally of combined hits and misses. I'll take that any week over the drag-out sketches that don't have direction. I didn't get the sense that anything went too long, or flat out missed the mark. It was a good showcase episode for me with some good re-watch material.
I don't think it was a function of what was around it: I enjoyed the show considerably more than you did and I thought Weekend Update was terrific, probably best of the night.
For me, Update, TCM, and Disney Channel acting were the best. Most of the rest were amusing if not laugh out loud hilarious.
And Les Jeunes de Paris was terrible. That sketch makes no damn sense.
Agree: "Las Jeunes de Paris" (insanely awesome), "Weekend Update" (great contributors), "Beastly" (heavy lampshading), "Disney Acting School" (Kenan), "TCM Essentials" (clever, but it dragged), "Cruise Ship" (boring & way too long), "Rockabilly Cream" (bad pacing), Monologue (smug & dumb)
Disagree:
"Duh! Winning!" actually got me a few times with the Tiger Blood gag & the first 2 guests.
"Our Time" was EXCELLENT. It was all the little things that added up to make this one fly--Kenan & Andy only singing the backup part of the music, Kenan attempting to pronounce "Apldeap", Taboo's name origin, Taboo's ethnic origin, Taboo's magazine cover,...& seeing Elliot grind-dance in a tight dress.
"Gurney Month" won me over with a great buildup of corpse jokes followed by the surprisingly unexpected Birney-on-a-gurney pun.
"Miley Cyrus Show" would have been more welcome if Bayer hadn't burned it out with overuse by now, but I actually liked the gags written for Bieber even if Cyrus couldn't really pull it off.
Overall: Cyrus wasn't the trainwreck I thought she'd be, but dear lord that girl has NO charisma. And did she have to sing in almost every sketch?
I was also wondering why Killam didn't get more lines in "Disney School", since like Kenan, he spent some time in the trenches at Nickelodeon too.
Tsk, c'mon Mike Ryan and "Team." Goddard purists should not presume to critique a second "Les jeunes de Paris" with such a "dada conceit!" For the audience laity who weren't giant French cinema majors it's finger poppin good! Besides it gives new cast member Taran Killam a chance to shine and ya gotta admit he shines in the physical tradition of a Will Ferrell here. Where are most of us going to be introduced to Rachid Taha? What kind of diverse radio do you think we have out here in Kansas and Arizona? Name another piece with high energy besides the perennial "What up with That?" You know for most of us it was not only funny and fresh but bleedin' EDUCATIONAL!
I guess I'm agreeing here. I commented on the wrong page. In my defense I'm home with the flu.
Blogging is a great way for you to communicate with other people who have the same interests as you.
You guys are hopelessly out of touch. You don't even mention the funniest parts or the inside jokes. Why are you guys the people who decide if SNL is funny? Do not get.
This critique fails for the very reason it openly admits to. The writer is not really plugged into young people's pop culture. So he just doesn't get how funny Miley is when she is portraying people like Bieber or Fergie. Those impressions were spot on. The Bieber people said it was scary accurate. But we already knew that. We already knew that Miley has worked with Fergie, and knows her well enough to do and excellent, funny impression of her. Go Miley!